LEICESTER, England (Interstat) — The London Lions opened their Super League Basketball season with a 79-72 upset victory over the Leicester Riders on Friday afternoon at Morningside Arena. Joel Scott led all scorers with 25 points for London, which used a dominant second quarter to build a 41-30 halftime lead. The Lions’ defense was pivotal, forcing 14 turnovers and outrebounding the Riders 36-21, including a 14-5 advantage on the offensive glass. Leicester’s Travis Evee scored 22 points in the loss. The Riders mounted a late comeback attempt with a 24-point fourth quarter but fell short. The result defied pregame projections, as Interstat’s game simulator had favored Leicester by 16 points.